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July 1, 2008

Green Light for Second of New Partner Schools

by Sam Savage

The second phase of an education revolution has moved closer after plans for a new Southway primary school got the go-ahead.

Beechwood Primary School in Rockfield Avenue will be part of the Southernway Federation - two federated schools with a joint governing body. Its partner, Oakwood, has already been approved by planners.

Plymouth City Council planning committee has given conditional approval for the Beechwood site, which will include the new Southway Surgery, replacing the current one at Bampfylde Way.

The new school buildings will on the site of the old Southway Community College.

The two schools will be formed from the amalgamation of Langley Infants, Langley Juniors, Southway Primary School and Tamerton Vale Primary School.

Eighty staff have been appointed to the two schools, which are expected to open in September 2009. The schools will be led by two team headteachers, Andrea Norris and Mark Lees, under an arrangement believed to be one of the first in the country.

About half the buildings at Beechwood will be demolished to make way for a two-form entry primary school catering for up to 420 pupils, a nursery for 60 and children's centre, and a new GP surgery with parking.

Tom Browne, Conservative councillor for Southway, said Rockfield Avenue was a narrow road and "it's going to be chaotic. The Highways Department ought to look very carefully at it."